Up and down is probably the right way to describe Bury’s season, but, at this moment in time, they’re looking good and, in playing a Gillingham side who’ve been dismal on the road, have been handed an excellent opportunity to build on their recent run.
It’s no secret that The Gills have struggled majorly away from the comforts of their home ground this season and they’re expected to make little headway in this fixture. The hosts continued to go well during the week when beating Coventry on home soil and are well worth backing to follow up here, especially at the generous price of 11/8. Additionally, with the visitors looking so poor defensively, ‘Bury To Score Over 1.5 Goals’ is an additional selection.
Having looked really good at the start of the campaign, Bury may well have gone on a wretched run that spanned almost four months; however, it appears as though such times are well and truly behind them with The Shakers coming into this fixture unbeaten in their last five, losing just once in their last nine. Not only are the hosts unbeaten in five, but they’ve won each of their last three on the bounce, scoring five, conceding two and keeping a clean sheet in the process. On top of this, The Shakers have shut their opposition out in three of their last five in League One. It’s fair to say that their poor run of form is a thing of the past.
With the hosts seemingly rejuvenated, it’s certainly not hard at all to see them continuing their pleasing form against a Gillingham side who’ve failed to win any of their last nine on the road, and have won just once in their last 13 overall.
Since taking over at the helm back in early January, Adrian Pennock hasn’t had much luck and has so far failed to turn things around at Priestfield. Gillingham’s recent poor run has put them firmly in the relegation battle and they’re now just three points above the drop-zone. They might only be one point behind their opposition here, but, with the way things are going, these two look to be heading in very different directions.
Conceding goals has been a huge problem for the visitors this season, especially away from home. In fact, The Gills currently boast League One’s worst defensive record when playing away from home having conceded 38 goals on their travels. Unsurprisingly, they’ve not kept a single clean sheet on the road all season and have conceded at least twice on 13 occasions. With Bury in good attacking form right now, coupled with the fact that the hosts have scored at least twice in ten of their home matches this season, it’s impossible to feel optimistic about the away team’s chances. Bury forward James Vaughan, who’s already notched 19 times in League One this season, must be licking his lips ahead of this match.
Having lost out to fellow relegation candidates Swindon (3-1) during the week, The Gills probably aren’t too high on confidence right now, while Bury are very much on the up having won three on the bounce. All things considered, the home side simply have to be backed here and are fancied to give what is a leaky back-line a hard time.
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